Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Sara, one of our zoo keepers, is in the Arctic right now with Polar Bears International. She has been sending me great, quick reports & pictures. This is from day 9:

"Once in a lifetime viewing today, we saw a male polar bear eating a seal carcass on the shores of the Hudson Bay. Three other bears caught the scent, a female who was not successful in eating any and 2 males who took turns fighting each other off the meat. This is a very chance encounter for a bear at this time of year in Churchilll; The bears haven’t eaten in 120 days and most won’t until the ice freezes and they can hunt the seals on the ice."

Monday, October 18, 2010

Sara, one of our zoo keepers, is in the Arctic right now with Polar Bears International. She has been sending me great, quick reports & pictures I want to share. These are from Friday - Sunday:

Day 5The bears hunkered down today in day beds they made in the kelp. One guy took a short break from his nap to stretch a bit and play with the kelp, tossing it in the air and catching it on his paw, and then went back to sleeping. Lazy bears!

Day 6Today we saw the first sparing of the season! With no food or females to compete for, at this time of year males will play fight on cool days. Of course scientists aren't sure why, but they think this is the bears way of going to the gym and preparing the strength they will need for hunting all winter.

Day 7A bear that weighs far more than a human can walk on less ice without falling through because their 4 dinner sized paws distribute their weight and their 2 inch claws help them keep their grip on the ice.

10/16/10 Today is my last day on this amazing and life-changing trip. Its extremely hard to have to say goodbye to all the wonderful friends I've made and to the tundra that has been my home for the last week. We're flying out of Churchill to Winnipeg, and then back to our own states, territories, and countries. Its very solemn today, we all reminisced on the wonderful week we've had as we walked back to the one room airport they have in Churchill. We all were in tears as we said our last goodbyes and came together for one final group hug. We have all become one big family and though were sad to be leaving, we are SO motivated to work together on our group project and to stay in contact with each other, even with our Aussies :) I have taken so much away from this trip. It has taught me a lot about what is happening in the world I am about to enter and about what i am able to do in order to change these events. It has given me great confidence in myself and in how I can spread the message of conservation. It has also given me friendship and a great support system to help and motivate me in my my efforts to change. What I have taken away form this trip is something that I am certain only happens once in a lifetime and to have had the opportunity to experience that, is something I value i with all my heart. I want to thank the Como Zoo for sponsoring and supporting me to allow me to go on this wonderful trip. I'd also like to thank PBI for making it possible for teens to have this kind of experience. Climate change is a challenge that is threatening our planet. Just like any other global challenge, there is controversy, hesitation, and confusion. The threats we are facing due to the results of climate change are very scary and potentially permanent. But we have to remember that it can be easily reversed. Looking back in history, we see several conflicts that have taken large amounts of patience, education, and power from the people. Our own story of the beautiful bald eagle is a great example of just that! So let this be a sign of hope for us and a reference that if we all put our best efforts together, use technology to make greener innovations, and to be aware of the things we as individuals are doing to our environment, we can flight climate change and protect the animals that are getting affected by it. Looking into the eyes of a polar bear has definitely changed me as a person. The polar bear is a remarkable creature as are all the wildlife of the arctic. Its time we worked together as a community, a city, a country, and a world, to help these animals and the environment we all live in. Thank you all for reading my blogs and for supporting myself and my trip up here. This is something I really appreciate and intend to repay with my best efforts to raise awareness, help conserve, and ultimately change our world for the better.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Inspirational! Unbelievable! Life-changing! These are only a few words to describe how incredible today was! Waking up in the morning in my small,warm bunk was very nice, but the huge gust of arctic wind I had to walk through to get to the dinning cart, was not! Still, the excitement of loading the tundra buggie up for our last tundra excursion was motivation enough to get ready in a hurry. The tundra was beautiful today! Clear skies, calming winds, and POLAR BEARS! Right from the get go we saw a big polar bear laying right beside the path! She was rolling around and chewing some of the bushes, as well as curling up to sleep, making the cutest picture ever!! It was incredible to see! Later we saw another polar bear in the distance. She was checking out some of the other tundra buggies! We were so jealous....until she started to walk our way. We all silently gasped in shock and anticipation! We were all quiet and smooched up against the side of the buggie with our cameras ready as she came to the side of our buggie! As she headed for the back of our buggie we all quietly ran to the outdoor observation deck of the buggie. I got the very corner, which turned out to be the BEST spot! Because as she curiously looked at us and sniffed the air, she walked up to the corner, where I was standing, and stood up and leaned against our buggie!! Her face, a very large and wild polar bear, was 2 feet from myself! She just looked straight into my eyes and stared. WOW! What an indescribable experience that was. Once you have had that silent, poignant connection with a wild polar bear, you develop this sort of inspired emotion that really cannot be described to anyone who has not had that experience. Polar bears, though strong and dangerous, are very gentle and curious creatures, with a sense of elegance about them. I consider myself extremely lucky to have experienced that connection, which will also allow me to bring that inspiration to people back home, to help spread the message of conservation. We also got to see 2 males fighting! It was so fantastic to see them up on their hind legs, pushing and playfully biting each other! What amazing creatures. It breaks my heart the think that these amazing animals could become extinct in my lifetime. We also got to do something very rare and special; go out of the buggie and onto the tundra ground! It was then that i realized i had not been on the actual ground for over 24 hours! But it was very cool and special to feel the tundra under my feet and feel it's texture. We learned about the plants that live there and about the different liken that grow there. Luckily, no polar bears we around so we didn't have any encounter(although i was partly hoping!). When we got back to the lodge, we had a video conference with a 4th grade class! Each student came up to the camera and asked us a question which we then answered. They were so cute! It felt very cool to pass on our information and message about polar bears to the younger generation. We also talked to a 12th grade class, where i mentioned to them that they were at the prime age to be making a difference in climate change as they become the new leaders in our world.

Interesting fact of the day:· Polar bears have huge neck muscles! They can pull a seal up from the water with just their necks and fling them around in the air to kill them. For humans, it would be the equivalent of throwing a huge bag of dog food into the air with juts our necks and teeth! Tonight, we had the absolute pleasure of video conferencing with the president of PBI. He can be described as the funny, loud kind of guy with the ability to inspire an entire organization and 18 teens to the point of tears. He told us why our generation was so important to the future of our world and how this is our battle to fight. But it was the words that he used that lead us all to tears. Its hard to describe this to someone who hasn't been here to experience, first hand, what its like and actually see the affects of climate change, as well as seeing the animals it affects, but to us his speech gave us the motivation, inspiration, and sense of power and ability to go out and change the world! By the end of the speech, we were all in tears in a big group hug! His speech tied in perfectly when we then planned our group forward action plan. After 2 hours of discussing, coordinating, and planning we had all formed a group project called; "Green Across the Sea." Our goal is to significantly reduce the carbon levels in the atmosphere by getting a company or organization in each of our communities/countries to agree to reduce their carbon footprint by 5%, by Oct 16th of next year. Its very ambitions, but if successful, we will be able to make a huge difference! (Look for our website: Green across the Sea, by Nov 16th). I am so inspired to come back and show people how much one person can affect the world. This is my last night in the tundra buggie lodge, as well as in Churchill :( One of things I've loved most of all about this trip, was the people. This group has literately become a family. We all get along equally in a judge-free environment. Everyone has been consistently positive and I've loved laughing and learning with all of them. We all have inside jokes and we are very famous for our group hugs! I couldn't feel more supported and connected with any other group. It is really awful to think I have to leave here tomorrow. If I could, I would stay here forever. But being here has given me so much which i know will stay with me no matter where I go.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Today was a bright an early morning for all of u as we loaded all our belongings onto a bus as we left our PBI houses in Churchill. We were on our way to our new home for the next three days; The Tundra Buggie Lodge! The lodge is a bunch of tundra biggies linked together in a train, creating a big lodge right on the tundra! But it takes about 2 hours to get there with the tundra biggies! So, we loaded up our buggie and started off, bright and early, for our excursion to the lodge. As we drove through the tundra, we saw beautiful scenery! You can tell its really the arctic as soon as you step outside! The wind is strong and ice cold, but the view is worth it. The main excitement for today was getting lucky enough to see more wild polar bears! This time, they were even closer to the buggie! One ran right in front of the buggie and stood close by as we all got great pictures! When the sun came out, his fur coat shone brightly and you cold see how truly beautiful these creatures are. Another bear we saw, was a very large male. Although he looked very big and strong, we got to see him rolling and playing in the bushes! He looked so cute as he stretched out his big paw and yawned. The feeling you get when you see one of these creatures in the wild, is a truly an indescribable experience. You feel so humbled and so small, when you see an actual polar bear in the wild, without cages, without signs, and without people. Just free. It was breathtaking. Our whole group was in awe of the whole situation. When we arrived at the lodge, we were all very excited! Its not as small as you would think. The bunk beds all have their own privacy curtains with their own window, looking out to the tundra! There are 6 small bathrooms, a kitchen, a lounge, a dinning car, and it is all decorated with beautiful pictures of the wildlife and furnished with beautiful woods and eco-friendly materials. I want to live here forever! No where else in the world can you be so close to such a unique and gorgeous environment and be so comfortable at the same time!

Interesting facts of the day:

Polar bears live on the ice for most of the year. They wait for seals to come up for a breath and then catch them to eat them. Polar bears ONLY eat seals. Which is why the loss of sea ice is such a threat to the bears. Without the ice, they can't catch their food. Though it is true that polar bears can be opportunistic and eat other meats when convenient, no other source of food is sustainable for a polar bear nor is it easy for them to hunt.

Canadians really DO say "eh!" :) After our first dinner on the lodge, watching the beautiful sunset on the horizon, we all gathered for a presentation. The presentation was about the communication and leadership we need to take away from this trip. The whole speech given to us was one of the most inspiring things I've ever heard. What they basically told us (and what I think is important for all of us to know) was that, our human impact is effecting the climate in the arctic and the ice caps. That the carbon we've been adding, has only given us an estimated 4 years of time to make a change, before the melting of the ice caps cannot be reversed! The time to act, is NOW! But its understandable that all the stress and confusion of all this can be overwhelming for anyone, especially me as an arctic leader. But, we have the power and responsibility to stand up and change this. We must accept the challenge we have been given and go out and spread the word about climate change, how we can fix this, and make a big change in all of our communities! We were told a story about a previous arctic ambassador that actually talked to the CEO of Kentucky Fired Chicken, and had him agree to reduce their use of energy, taking 100,000 parts/million of carbon out of the atmosphere! This accomplishment really inspired me to do even more! The point they made was that, even though its not easy to be the change needed in the world, we all have the responsibility to make the change. SO! I encourage all of you to turn off your lights, carpool, reuse, recycle and go that extra step to make a difference. No matter how small. Because as I sit on my bunch bed writing this and looking out at the beautiful tundra's night sky, I realize how influential one person can be in making a change in the world. Even just a teen from Minnesota.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

WHAT A DAY! Today in Churchill was a very busy, educational, and inspiring day. I woke up lying on the small, foam mat I had slept on the previous night and to the smell of bacon. We were soon dressed, fed and out the door to a beautiful morning in Churchill. Our first stop was a little confusing. We were taken to a small cabin on the coast of the arctic ocean. There, we met two elders with native heritage, who had been trappers their whole life. We listened to their stories of hunting and living out in the tundra, as they passed around several of their prized furs. I was very confused why we, "the people out to save animals", were listening to stories of trapping animals(many of which were kind of gruesome). But as they told us more about their life out in the wilderness, she spoke of being one with nature. About taking only what is needed and loving the earth so she will love you back. I learned that people generally think that people who trap animals, hate animals and nature. But these people were probably the most eco-friendly people who loved animals. They used everything from the land, used dog sleds instead of cars, and only took what they needed. I spoke with one of the elders and asked her what she thought our generation was missing, and she responded: "You are not experiencing the earth. You don't just look outside and witness your surroundings anymore. You go by it too fast." This made me understand why we were there and allowed me to apply it to today's society. I think many of us (including me) are always rushing, trying to do something or go somewhere, or we are bored and just sit around watching you tube or playing video games. What we are missing is something I think is very vital to helping our environment; enjoying the world around us. In other words, once in awhile, remember to stop and smell the roses. We all felt it was a very enjoyable and inspiring experience. Then we went to the Polar Bear Holding Facility, in Churchill. There we learned about how they handle all the polar bears that wander into Churchill, contain them, and the different things they use to scare them off. Apparently in Churchill, Halloween is a very big deal. Because all the kids are out in the dark running around in costumes, they are running a big risk of encountering a polar bear or being mistaken for one! So the patrolmen, send helicopters, trucks, and patrol teams out, to be on the look out for polar bears. They even have a bear hot line! It was very cool. After, we saw parts of Churchill (which wasn't much because its so small), went to an Eskimo museum, discussed our group action plan for helping our communities when we return, bonded as we played at the park in town, and many other things before going back to our PBI houses.

Interesting facts of the day:

Permafrost is the frozen layer of ground in the tundra, that stays frozen almost all year round. Because water is unable to soak into this frozen ground, it creates many ponds (and sometimes lakes) all throughout the tundra. At each of these ponds, there is a small eco-system, where big and small animals like to live. But, due to climate change, the permafrost is melting in certain areas, putting the tundra's eco-system at risk. After a very long and tiring day, we all got together for a great dinner. But when we stepped outside, we saw the NORTHERN LIGHTS! My friend and I sprinted back inside to tell everyone but, in our excitement, we ran into the wrong house!(opps) After sprinting into the correct house, we yelled throughout the house what we had seen. For the next 45 minutes, we all had the most unbelievable and indescribable time! The northern lights don't just sit in the sky, they make waves and dance around the stars! They start off light green and turn into a florescent yellow-green-blue color!( sorry my picture isn't a very good image of it) It is truly one of the most beautiful sights I have ever witnessed. We all went absolutely crazy at this magnificent sight! People we yelling and gasping at the moving light and we all got this incredible rush of joy! The whole time was spent hugging each other, gazing at the sky, and remarking that this was what people needed to experience. It was like a big "kom-bi-ya" moment! It was an experience like no other. It made me feel so lucky to be a part of this and to live this with such passionate and wonderful people. With all that we are learning, seeing, and feeling, we have no doubt that we can make a change in our world and educate the people around us. It is such an amazing feeling up here!

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

It was the thought of seeing my first polar bear that gave me the motivation to get up at 4:30 this morning. That and the fact that I had to catch a flight to Churchill! We all met in the lobby and went across the street to our small, awaiting plane which seated our camp only. On the flight, i got to see one of the most beautiful things you could see in Churchill; the sunrise. As you can see in the picture, it was one of the most spectacular views I've ever been lucky enough to witness. It gave me a whole new appreciation for where I was and how beautiful the arctic really is. As we ducked beneath the clouds, I got a better glimpse at the landscape. The land here doesn't have snow yet and is very flat, but full of nature. Plenty of large rocks, small trees, and dips in the land(which are actually caused by the land expanding after it has been compressed by glaciers in the winter). The airport was just a small building, no security lines or baggage claims, much to everyone's surprise. But after learning that Churchill only has about 800 or so residents, it made more sense. but we hardly had time to look around before we left to go on the Tundra Buggies! As you can see in the pictures, they are very large and VERY bouncy. The terrain takes forever to go across in a tundra buggies but polar bears have adapted feet and muscles to move across the terrain very easily. On the buggie we saw plenty of birds, pretty landscape, and our first polar bear!!! Although it was at a distance, it was so exciting to a wild polar bear for the first time! Our group was lucky enough to see four polar bears today! They were very calm and used to the buggies, and lifted their heads occasionally to look at us or smell of lunch. It was so cool!

Interesting facts of the day:

A lot of the trees in the arctic only have branches on one side, because the other have(that was not protected by the trunk of the tree) has been blasted off by the high winds they get in Churchill.

Polar Bears have a "Jacobson Organ," which is an organ that allows them to taste or smell the air with their tongue, which is the same things that snakes do!

Because polar bears are so good at distributing their weight on their 4 big legs and wide paws,they can walk on ice as thin as 1 inch! Polar bears are so adapted to the cold, that if they get to warm or to stressed and their body temperature rises, over heating becomes a real danger to the polar bears. To get a better grip on the ice, polar bears have little "suction cups" on their paws that are so tiny, it is very hard to see.

As you can see I have already learned a lot on this trip. The people have all been wonderful and I love experiencing this with all of them. It just so happens that today was the Canadian thanksgiving! So we all shared our excitement of the day with each other over a delicious dinner of turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, and pie! Yum! After dinner, we enjoyed a wonderful presentation about polar bears and the threats they are facing. it made me realize that many people don't realize that polar bears actually live on the ice, and due to the increasing carbon levels we are putting into the atmosphere, the ice melts faster, putting the bears on land earlier, thus reducing the amount of time they get to hunt seals (their main source of food). But it is also not just the polar bears we should be focusing on. Although they are furry and cute, they are just one animal in a circle of other mammals that are being affected by us. The bears are just the tip of the iceberg for everything that is happening to our changing climate. But this should only heighten our motivation to become more "green." EVERY little thing we do affects our environment, and we can all play our part in making a smaller carbon footprint. WE talked about several new inventions that are really helping our environment, and were only just starting. Things are changing at a very fast rate. Both good and bad. So it is up to ALL of us, to make sure the change we make, is for the better.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Hello! Well, after several long flights and very little sleep, I've arrived in Winnipeg! Because of the time of year, there is no snow on the ground so to me (being a Minnesotan) it feels like a nice spring day here! Today, I got to meet all the other teen arctic ambassadors! They are all SUCH great people! We all seemed to bond right away. We played "get to know you games" and had tons of fun sharing our different cultures. For example, the 2 Australians on the trip had great accents and told us all about what they call different things vs. what we all cal them. Such as tomatoes and tomatoes! It looks like were gonna be a very close group by the end of the trip. We also made a sign for a website called: www.350.org, which is a website dedicated to getting people from around the world to start and share their environmentally friendly action plan, on the website! Our sign (that will be on the website) let people know what we are doing and how we are helping the planet!

Interesting Fact of the Day #1: Polar bears often come into the town of Churchill and have to be coaxed into a pen, until official release them back into the wild! It was estimated that around 100 polar bears came into the town of Churchill last year.

Even though today was very fun, tomorrow is the day things will start getting really fun! We had past ambassadors come talk to us about the things we will see and experience. I have no doubt that this trip, will be one of the most memorable and life-changing trips in my life. Tomorrow, we have to get up at 4:30 to catch 6 o'clock flight to Churchill, the Polar capital of the world! And to be on the Tundra Buggy for the first time! I can't wait!

-Kathryn Ravey

Continue to check back for more updates!

Follow other Arctic Ambassadors through the PBI website here: http://polarbearsinternational.org/programs/blogs

Friday, October 8, 2010

Last week I got the opportunity to represent Como Zoo at Polar Bear International’s Zookeeper Leadership Camp. I went to Churchill, Manitoba, Canada along with 13 other keepers from around North America. We learned more about climate change and how it is affecting polar bears. It was an amazing and inspiring trip of a lifetime. I feel very lucky to have seen polar bears in their natural habitat and only wish everyone could make the trip to gain a better appreciation of what polar bears are facing and how we can help. There really are little words to describe the feeling of staring straight into a wild polar bear’s dark eyes. On our very first morning we were lucky enough to see a young male and after our first sighting we were asked: “Can you truly look into those eyes and say You will not help in their fight for survival?”

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Working as a zoo keeper is an interesting job that is not always as glamorous as it would seem. Sure, you get to work with really cool exotic animals, but most days you come home hot and smelly after doing mostly janitorial work for creatures that make the same mess day in and day out. One of the coolest things zoo keepers get to do is build relationships with the animals they care for on a daily basis. Both my husband and I work with the animals here at Como Zoo, so I knew when I got married I wanted to have my marriage to my husband "sealed" with a kiss, a sea lion kiss to be exact!

Over the course of the month prior to my wedding, I made sure the kiss behavior was solid with Sparky VI, our show sea lion. I desensitized her to being sent to kiss another person as well as to the voluminous dress and veil that I would be wearing. After all, I didn't want fish slobber to get on my dress!

On August 31st, 2003, after the ceremony, the bridal party and guests made our way into the zoo and to the Sparky Amphitheater. Sparky came down and planted a kiss on my husband and me.

It all worked out perfectly, Sparky was very good about not splashing water or getting fish slobber on us and she also has a permanent place in our wedding album!

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

This past weekend, the zoo keepers in the Aquatic Animal Building got a nice surprise. A young man named Marcus had run a lemonade stand and invited all his friends and neighbors to come and enjoy lemonade and cookies on August 7th with proceeds going to the Marine Animals at Como Zoo. As he put it when presenting the earnings, he had "very generous neighbors."

In total, Marcus raised an astonishing $371.06! The proceeds from the event were given to Como Friends to purchase some new enrichment items for the seals and sea lions as well as the sea birds in the Aquatics Building. We would like to thank Marcus for being so generous and thinking of the animals at Como Zoo. We would also like his recipe for lemonade, it must be very good!

Sunday, August 8, 2010

On August 3rd, zoo keepers came into the giraffe barn to find the newest addition to Como Zoo. Mother giraffe Daisy and the little one (if you can call almost 6 feet tall little!) are doing well and made their debut to the adoring fans who braved the extreme heat and humidity last week. Giraffes are pregnant for approximately 15 months and babies come out weighing between 120-150 pounds and standing close to 6 feet tall. Zoo keepers were unsure of Daisy's exact due date and had been anticipating the new arrival for the past several months.

"Howie" and Mom can be seen with Aunt Clover on the outside display every day unless there is lightning in the Como area or until the weather gets too cold. Come out and see him soon.

One of the most common questions the zoo keepers are asked at this time of year is, "how do the polar bears handle this hot weather?" The answer? Air conditioning and chilled water. While polar bears in the wild would encounter temperatures similar to Minnesota summers in their Southern-most range, Polar Bear Odyssey which opened on June 3rd gives the bears some options to escape the heat when the temperatures climb too high. Neil and Buzz can often be found taking a dip in one of two pools that are chilled to 65 degrees. They also can be found taking a midday snooze in the air-conditioned "knuckle" the central transfer area between the two sides of the exhibit and one of two areas the public can watch the operant conditioning training that the zoo keepers do with the bears. When the zoo is closed, the bears have five holding areas to choose from complete with straw-filled "beds" where the temperature is kept at a chilly 62 degrees. When the zoo keepers start their day in the morning, we often get to see the bears bedded down as in the picture above.

Monday, August 2, 2010

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Born Sealia, on June 23, 1990, this little California Sea Lion became the first female "Sparky" in 2002 when she first began performing shows. Since then, she has delighted countless zoo visitors with a variety of different shows including the "Wonderful World of Pinnipeds", "Sparky's Day at the Doctor", and "Sparky's Tundra Tour". Sparky VI is known for her "dance" moves as well as jumping out of the water to touch a ball. She has mastered many behaviors over the years and continues to learn new ones to show off to her adoring fans.

Come out and wish her a happy 20th birthday. Sparky shows run daily at 11:30 with additional shows on weekends at 2:00.

Monday, May 10, 2010

After a little over a year, Cinco, the male giraffe that was born under less than ideal conditions will be leaving Como Zoo and traveling to Texas to be a part of a new Savanna exhibit at the Dallas Zoo where he will be in a herd with 13 giraffe as well as other African species. Cinco had a rocky start to life, having to spend a week at the University of Minnesota's Intensive Care Unit due to complications at birth.

He later took another trip to the U of Mn via police transport when he required surgery to correct the growth plates in his legs. Since then, Cinco has grown by leaps and bounds, nearly equal in height to his mother Clover. He is going to be missed by zoo staff and visitors alike. Cinco was always willing to take a cracker from his trainers or nibble their shirts or hair and slime them with his long tongue.

A fountain of water splashed up towards the zoo keepers as Chino the California Sea Lion made his way from his transport crate into seal island last Tuesday morning. At 562 pounds, he makes quite a splash!

After nibbling a few fish that trainer Julie dropped in for him, he went off to explore the island. To Chino's surprise, he was greeted by a petite, 100 pound sea lion named Subee. Subee had been on the island for about a week and a half exploring her new exhibit and she appeared quite excited to meet Chino. As soon as she saw him, she went up and nuzzled noses with him, then proceeded to follow him around the island.

Subee and Chino seem to be getting along swimmingly. Both are eager to eat the fish the trainers offer them, but are just as happy to swim along next to eachother in their free time. In a few weeks, they will be joined by Harbor Seals, Max and Ginger and the island will be full for the season.

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Since 2001, a formal operant conditioning training program has been going strong at Como Zoo. Initially the program started with the seals and sea lions, but over the years has blossomed to include primates, large cats, hoofstock and even Galapagos Tortoises. The tortoises are fast learners if not fast movers and have an excellent ability to retain their training skills even if they are not trained every day. This year, we added some of the smaller tortoises to the training program. Like their larger relatives, they are highly motivated and quick learners. They will be displaying their training skills in this year's "Creature Feature" show which begins in June and runs Monday through Friday at 12:30 and 2:00 and weekends and holidays at 12:30. I hope you can make it out to see them, they are so cute touching their little beaks to the target and opening their mouths wide for their treats.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

The Como Zoo lost a wonderful animal last week when Gordy the gorilla died unexpectedly. Gordy was 23 years old. The morning of 19 April, he was acting normal, eating his breakfast in holding while the primate keepers cleaned the gorilla exhibit. After a routine weekly meeting with our veterinarian, zoo keepers went to let the animals into their exhibits when they found Gordy unresponsive. Attempts at CPR, an injection of epinephrine, and the application of an AED (automated electronic defibrulator) all proved unsuccessful to revive Gordy. He was taken to the University of Minnesota for a necropsy to determine the cause of death and results are still pending. The remaining gorillas are doing well although they have been looking for Gordy. The zoo keepers are still in shock from the loss.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Things have been busy here at Como Zoo for the past few months and it seems it will only get busier. After a long, cold winter, Spring rushed in and visitors have been enjoying the early start to the warm weather. The zoo keepers are busy cleaning up the outdoor displays and the animals appear eager to get outside. The gorillas have already been enjoying the sunshine in their outdoor display, but the orangutans have yet to venture out due to overnight temps that are still a bit too cold. The hoof stock animals should be going out in the next few weeks as the overnight temperatures continue to climb.

Seal Island is filled and as soon as we get the go ahead that all systems are running correctly, we will be putting a new sea lion out there to explore before we introduce her to the rest of the island inhabitants. Hailing from California, this little female was a victim of a shark attack and was brought into the Marine Mammal Care Center at Fort MacArthur for rehabilitation. Veterinarians there deemed her unreleasable due to some damage in the bones of her flippers and Como Zoo was happy to add her to our collection. She is a curious little girl and seems to enjoy watching her trainers prepare her fish before training sessions and wants to know what is on the other side of the quarantine doors. Look for her on Seal Island in the next week or so. She'll be the only one out there and will be exploring every nook and cranny.